Kohala Lighthouse Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.27° N 155.84° W

Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Kohala Lighthouse sea temperature is
26.4° C
0.5° 

Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, E swell with 672 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kohala Lighthouse this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Kohala Lighthouse in the next 16 days are 1.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 17s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful11PM (Wed 22nd Jul)5ft (1.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kohala Lighthouse over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for this stretch of coast.

Honestly, the first week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We’re looking at a long gap of nothing but frustrating conditions right through until the end of July. The wind is relentless – cross-shore and cross-onshore, mostly fresh breezes at 18-22 mph, just chopping the surface up into a lumpy mess. The swell is there, mostly around 4 ft to 7 ft, but it’s short-period, around 6-8 seconds, which means weak, messy waves. The combined energy values are in the low to mid range (180-568), telling you it’s just not got the punch. The water sits at about 80°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real standout that gets my blood pumping is appearing on Sunday, July 26th down at Kohala Lighthouse (Big Island). This is an advanced reef break, so don’t even think about paddling out if you’re not on your game. The swell jumps to 6 ft-6 ft from the E, but the period is a massive 16-17 seconds, giving it a very long groundswell feel. The combined energy is huge (2183-2354), meaning there’s plenty of grunt. The downside? The wind is still cross-shore at 18 mph, which will keep the surface lumpy, not glassy. Still, this is a heavy, powerful wave with a lot of water moving, and for the experts, it’s the best pulse on offer, though expect a bit of a chop.

Then into the following week, we get a bit of a tease. Monday, July 27th sees the swell hold at 7 ft from the E, still with a 16-second period, and the wind eases to 15 mph. But it’s a cross-onshore, so the morning is choppy. The afternoon is a bit better with a cross-shore breeze, giving a marginal shot at some lumpy, powerful lines. The energy is through the roof (3140-3484), but the wind is the enemy here. Same goes for Tuesday, July 28th – 7 ft-7 ft from the E, 14-second period, but cross-onshore wind in the morning ruins it. The afternoon is cross-shore again, a marginal call.

Honestly, if you’re a paddler, you’re waiting for a clean slot that never really arrives. The wind is too persistent. If you’re a kiter, this whole stretch from July 26th onward looks way more interesting. The swell’s big, the energy is strong, and the cross-shore winds are exactly what you want. For the rest of us, it’s a game of patience.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
ENE
6
1.8
ENE
6
1.7
E
6
2
ENE
8
2
ENE
8
1.7
ENE
8
1.6
ENE
8
1.5
ENE
8
1.4
ENE
8
1.4
ENE
8
1.4
ENE
7
1.3
ENE
7
1.2
ENE
7
1.4
ENE
7
1.3
ENE
7
1.6
ENE
7
1.8
ENE
6
1.3
E
12
1.6
ENE
11
2.1
ENE
6
1.1
E
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
206
222
228
486
511
370
322
291
226
226
214
151
127
186
158
219
232
480
619
361
100
Wind (km/h)
35
ENE
30
E
35
E
35
E
30
E
30
ENE
30
ENE
25
E
20
E
25
ENE
25
ENE
20
E
25
ENE
25
E
25
E
30
E
30
E
30
ENE
30
E
30
ENE
35
ENE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
5:38PM0.84m
6:11AM0.50m
6:05PM0.74m
7:21AM0.53m
6:27PM0.65m
8:46AM0.57m
6:40PM0.56m
10:20AM0.62m
6:03PM0.49m
11:38AM0.67m
12:31PM0.73m
Low Tide
10:39AM0.16m
00:32AM0.19m
11:26AM0.26m
1:04AM0.19m
12:21PM0.37m
1:36AM0.18m
1:43PM0.46m
2:12AM0.18m
5:11PM0.49m
2:56AM0.18m
3:51AM0.18m
4:51AM0.16m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
5:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:06
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:04
7:04
 mm
Temp °C
26
26
25
26
26
25
25
26
25
25
26
25
25
26
25
25
25
25
25
26
25
Feels °C
24
24
23
23
23
23
22
23
23
24
24
24
24
24
24
22
22
23
22
23
23
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Kohala Lighthouse:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Kohala Lighthouse Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Kohala Lighthouse provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kohala Lighthouse can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kohala Lighthouse surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Kohala Lighthouse) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Kohala Lighthouse may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Kohala Lighthouse is 87 km (54 miles) from Kihei. If you plan a vacation in Big Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Kihei. Kihei has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

Nearest locationNearest